PLEASANT CIVILITIES
Whilst we were endeavouring, with but small
success, to puzzle out some Latin (or dog-Latin)
verse on an ancient brass, the rector made his
appearance, and, learning that we were driving
across country and strangers in the land, forthwith
invited us to the rectory for afternoon tea. Such
kindly attentions had become quite customary
features of our wanderings, so much so that we had
ceased to wonder at them, and we greatly regretted
in this instance to be obliged to decline such
thoughtfully proffered hospitality, as we had no
means of lengthening out the day to embrace all
our pleasures! Truly the lot of the driving tourist
is an enviable one, a very enviable one when it
takes him into the pleasant land of Lincolnshire: a
delightful thing it is to experience this old-time
friendliness—a friendliness that makes the wheels
of life run so smoothly, and reveals the gracious
and sunny side of human nature.
A mural tablet in the chancel rather amused us by the invitation contained in the first two lines of a long inscription,
Kind stranger stay a moment ere you go,
Attend and view this monumental show.
Thus were we bidden to read through a tedious and wordy eulogy upon a youth whose only distinction appeared to be that he died young,—there is such a thing as consistency in epitaphs, the tomb of many a hero takes up less space than this one! The famous Speaker Lenthall of the Long Parliament directed that "no monument whatever should be
